Bowed Psaltery

[glh1938]

Hello, all of you music lovers.

I am new to this forum, indeed to forum posting itself, so if I seem ignorant, it is true.

I was looking over this forum yesterday, and found a series of conversations between Peach and Tim about bowed psalteries, and am glad to find such good information. It seems that strange things do happen, in that just last week, I had ordered a 2 1/2 octave psaltery from Song of the Wood, which should be delivered next Wednesday. It is nice to know that I seem to have chosen a good one. Having played a trumpet for many years, although a lifetime ago, I do understand the importance of quality in any instrument.

I am a somewhat impatient old f*rt, (my mother always had to restrain me from trying to beat the dinosaurs to the crossing), so I do hope that I will be able to learn to play something recognizable fairly soon. I have failed at the Hammered Dulcimer, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer, and other string instruments requiring chord fingering, due to age and limited dexterity, but still have a love of music. Have had a very nice time using a Kinder Lyre from Harps of Lorien, a beautiful instrument, but since it is a 7 string Pentatonic unit, is very limited in capability. Considered the plucked psalter, but from the sound clips I listened to, I feel that the Bowed instrument is a better choide for me.

Peach, and Tim, please feel free to offer any and all suggestions to guide me on this quest.

glh1938
P.S. In 1953, I was a member of a youth band, which had been selected to represent my state in the inaugural parade for President Eisenhower. The resulting experience is of course, unforgettable, including the tour of the White House, and shaking hands with "Ike", and, less exciting, with "Tricky Dick"

[Tim2723]

Hello! Welcome to the forum and to the world of the bowed psaltery!

I haven't heard from Peach in nearly three weeks, and can only hope that she's sequestered herself with her new treasure. In a short while I'll look forward to her fresh perspectives on the instrument.

There's little more in the way of technical information I can offer beyond those earlier posts. The bowed psaltery is sublimely suited for those with limited dexterity. Since it has perhaps the shallowest and shortest of all learning curves, it is a ready choice for anyone, like myself, who is impatient with anything that takes years to master. If you've ever pecked out a tune on the piano with a finger, then you have all the skills required to begin the bowed psaltery! It is an 'instant gratification' instrument. Its single greatest frustration for the beginning student is in tuning all the strings. If you haven't got one, now is a good time to get an electronic tuner with chromatic capabilities. You'll need to muster all your patience for the task at first, but it quickly becomes second nature.

Like all true folk instruments, it is very easy to begin on, yet can offer the player a lifetime's challenge if desired. Starting with a single bow and simple melodies, one can add a second bow for increased speed or the challenge of harmonies. Even a third and fourth bow can be added for full chording. There are techniques where the strings are bowed with one hand and dampened with the other to provide a staccato effect, and with practice the bow can execute lovely glissando effects mimicking the harp. I have recently come across a player who picks the melody with his fingers while bowing an accompaniment.

All in all, I'd say you're in for quite a treat with the BP. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any speific questions or difficulties, and all the best of luck to you!

[Tim2723]

And P.S., Kudos to you for using the Test Forum to discover the features of our little virtual world. I wish more newcomers would take the time to do that.

[MTGuru]

And P.S., Kudos to you for using the Test Forum to discover the features of our little virtual world. I wish more newcomers would take the time to do that.

But then poor Denny would wear himself out!

[Peach]

I'm here! I'm here! (waving hand wildy while jumping up and down)

Hi!

Sorry Tim. It has been a while, hasn't it? I have found that for right now, when playing my bowed psaltery, that I am playing more slow and plaintive tunes. Trying to whip thru "Silver Spear" or "Old Copperplate" is not only very difficult, but it just does't sound right! So I am playing tunes from across the ages, like Beautiful Dreamer and Hard Times Come Again; Civil War Tunes like Shenandoah, Tenting Tonight, Dixie, and so on.....

As for ease? OMG!!! The first night I had it, I was actually plaing very basic tunes. In fact, Shenandoah was one of the first.

Here in Massachusetts, I teach a beginners tune workshop from time to time. This is geared to Irish music. One of "students" is a senior citizen with arthritis in her hands. Try as she might, playing tinwhistle or Bodhran causes pain. Well!!! Guess who is ordering her own bowed psaltery? (again not so much for an Irish session) She picked it up and was playing right away! And such a smile!!!!

Just be warned....its is very addictive. I have been caught playing in the middle of the night.

Good luck!
And Tim....Thanks again for all your help! The bowing issues are decreasing as I play. In part how I angle the bow to the string and how much pressure I put on the string. (I had a fiddle instructor help me out!)

~Sue

[Tim2723]

Hi Sue, that's wonderful news!

Yes, I agree that the BP just doesn't sound right for some tunes. But I suppose we can say that for any instrument at one time or another. I just don't care for Bach on the saxophone, no matter how well it's played. Just as many whistlers relegate their low whistles to slow aires, the psaltery is often used for slower pieces as well. However, like whistlers, psalterists often find themselves with a collection of instruments with different characteristics. My new Phantasy psaltery was designed specifically to have very short sustain for the faster fiddle tunes. Eric called it a 'Celtic' psaltery (although I'm not big on that name, it's his work, soooo...). Once fully addicted to it, don't be surprised if you find yourself looking for one of those. Here's his article about it:

http://blog.phantasypsalteries.com/tims ... -psaltery/

I don't suppose the BP wil find its way into the Irish Session any time soon, although there are a number of players using it for that music. Given that our little conversations have generated several hundred views, there must be someone curious about it. Perhaps we'll hear about Irish sessions and psalteries someday!

[glh1938]

Hi Tim and Peach.

Trying again...I tried to post a reply to your posts a couple of days ago, but apparently did something wrong. So.......

Thank you Tim, for your encouragement, and you also, Sue. It sounds as though this instrument is right up my alley, since I am able to play by ear as well as read music, and can tell if I make a mistake, (which occurs too often), but learning is much of the fun.

It also appears that the Bowed Psaltery is a fun loving community, (waving hands and jumping up and down wildly), which gives me a laugh. Thanks for that, Peach.

Hopefully, tomorrow is the BIG DAY....Delivery is scheduled for then!!!!

Will let you know how it goes in a few days, and thanks again for your support.

George

[Peach]

George!
Did you get it? Have you started to play? What do you think?
Details man, details!

Peach

[glh1938]

Yo, Peach!!!!!
YES!!! Got it late last evening. Had a small mix up with UPS, but after treating them to my righteous wrath, (kidding), they finally delivered.
Beautiful!!! and GREAT sound!!!
You did warn me, but I still got little sleep last night. What fun. As you had stated in one of your posts to Tim, the bowing will take a while to become even ans consistent in tone. You had, I believe, tried a violin bow? If so, what size, 1/16 as Phantasy Psalteries ships with his instruments? Also, did it help you?

By the way, I got up this A.M. at 4:00, because I could not leave the beautiful thing alone. Also, at 71 years I found that I can still jump up and down, perhaps not too wildly, though.

Have played a few songs, while not real well, still, it is nice to be able to do that on the first day.

Thank you for asking, and will gladly hear any and all suggestions from you and Tim. I feel young again, (like maybe 28 0r 29, but then my body calls me a liar).
George

[Tim2723]

That’s wonderful news George! I’ll leave the jumping to you and Sue, but I’ll wave my arms and bob a bit at the knees on your behalf!! You’re in for a truly great treat with your new psaltery!

It seems that the psaltery has a unique therapeutic property: It give us back those years spent in frustration with other instruments. With your report, I’m happy to say that I’ve still not met anyone who didn’t find instant joy with the BP.

Give us some more detail about the one you bought. SOTW does beautiful work with really lovely woods. What did you get? Are you able to post some pictures?

I assume you’re using the traditional BP bow that came with it. I’m a big fan of fractional violin bows. I find them lighter, more agile, and much easier to maintain. They aren’t too expensive either - about thirty dollars - but they last for years with proper care and make playing (at least my playing ) much better. I highly recommend all players to at least experiment with them.

Sue - How are you progressing? I’d be interested to hear what your violin instructor had to say about bowing technique. What tips did he give?

[glh1938]

Hi, Tim
Thank you for your encouragement.
I just tried to add a little more information to my last post, but it went somewhere I can not fine. I used the new topic button, so maybe that is what is wrong. I am. remember, new to forum posting.
The instrument is Curly Maple with Cocobolo bridge and binding, and has the strings which produce that ethereal sound. Am getting some "singing from it, but at times also squawks, and/or dropping of the notes, but I do realize that will improve with practice.
You mentioned a fractional violin bow. The Phantasy Psaltery website mentions a 1/16 size, is that what you would recommend? I have zero experience with bowed instruments, so would appreciate any suggestions, like what bow tension is best, how often to add rosin, how much, etc.
And Peach, if my attempted reply to you went into outer space, the information above is for you too.
Thank you both for your interest and support, it is nice to find fellow, (no offense intended regarding gender, Peach), lovers of this great instrument. Must go now, it is calling me
George

[Tim2723]

That sounds like a beauty, George! Curly maple is a beautiful wood and makes a great psaltery.

I like the 1/16 bow, although they come in sizes from 1/2 to 1/32. The 1/16 is about the size of a traditional BP bow. I like them because they bring a whole lot of technical development to the table. Folks have been working on those for about 300 years, so why not take advantage of it?

As for rosin, at first you need to 'load' a bow with rosin to make it work. I believe Sue said hers came loaded from SOTW, so maybe yours is too. After that you only need a touch from time to time so that it grips the strings. Too much is messy, too little will squeal. It's just a matter of practice and experience to know when to add rosin. You'll get the hang of it quickly, but don't be surprised if you make a mess at first, we all do.

A cake of rosin has to be 'opened' when it's new. A scrap of sandpaper or an emery board is perfect to have at hand for that. An unused cake can often seal itself back up over time with heat and humidity, so keep your 'opener' handy but far away from your instrument's finish!

The strings themselves need to develop a thin coating of rosin to grip the bow. I like to play a few notes on every string at first to get the process started. Over time you'll get little stalactites of rosin under each string that need to be flicked off with the fingernail. Just bow a bit more if needed to get the string working again.

Try not to touch the strings too much with your fingers, as this ages them quickly. BP strings can last a couple of years if you keep them free of skin oils and acids.

But most important, get some sleep!!

[glh1938]

Hi again, Tim

Thank you for the tip about using fractional violin bows. I purchased a 1/16 size, fiberglass, not wood, (hope that is not a problem), and have been trying it out. I find that it seems to have advantages, and disadvantages. The advantage seems to be slightly more mellow and smoother tone, and the disadvantage seems to be that I keep getting the sides of the strings on top of the hitch pins. If that continues, it will probably wear out the hair more quickly. Perhaps more practice will cure this. I do like the feel and sound of the violin bow better, but am at this time able to play more tunes at a somewhat faster tempo with the bow supplied by SOTW. Oh...you were of course correct in that SOTW had loaded the bow with rosin.

Again, thank you for your tips and encouragement. This instrument is FUN, and I can actually play real music on it.

George

[Tim2723]

Glad you're experimenting. We all develop our favorite tools and techniques. A couple of pointers on bows, any style or size:

All bows need a break in period and get better with time. Loosing hairs from time to time is normal. When a hair breaks or becomes loose and floppy, cut it off cleanly with a nail clipper. Don't pull the broken hair off the bow, as you might move the wedge that holds the hairs in place and your bow will come apart. With a little care, bows last a long time. But of course, it's hair rubbing against metal, and metal wins. The sorts of bows used with a psaltery are practically never worth the cost of re-hairing unless you learn to do it yourself. A new bow is about $20- $30, a re-hair job costs $45 minimum at my local shop. I just chuck them when the hairs are done.

Try holding the bow so that it is slightly tilted toward you, that is, rather than having the full face of the hairs flat against the string. Think of it as playing with the 'edge' of the hairs.

Relieve the tension when you're done for the day. Leaving a bow under tension can cause warping.

A 1/16 bow needs about one turn on the frog more than you think it does to get a good tension. You won't break it, but experiment with slightly more tension.

As rosin builds up on the tops of the hitch pins, things will go smoother. Time will improve everything.

Have fun, and stay in touch!

[glh1938]

Hello again, Tim

Thanks for the tip, I have been tilting it slightly, does seem to work better. Have been releasing the tension when finished, but did not know to tighten it a little more. Thank you.

I am still a little (lot) inconsistent with bow pressure, even strokes, etc., but all things require practice, so am not discouraged.

Am learning many tunes from memory, after I no longer need to think about where all the notes are, will find some written music, and expand my repertoire.

George